Around 300 lavatories open into Dood Ganga, a major drinking water source for Srinagar and its peripheries.
Besides, household sewerage from hundreds of houses and business units enters to pollute it from filtration plant Kralpora to Branwar village in Budgam.
Ironically around 6 lakh people get water from this polluted source, which according to health experts, causes many a disease.
Right now, the concerned department’s efforts for purification of water are confined to chlorination and sedimentation. This does not make water safe for human consumption.
The J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) is laying a pipeline from higher reaches of Doodh Ganga at village Nowhaar in Chadoora to Kralpora water treatment plant. The aim is to lift water at Nowhaar which is 18 kms up Kralpora.
According to PHE, 12 Million Gallons of fresh water will be lifted at Nowhaar every day and out of it 10 MGs will be supplied to Kralpora plant. Nowhaar is not the last village located on the banks of Doodh Ganga. There are more than half a dozen habitations like Bonyaar, Pethyaar, Surasyaar, Check Surasyaar, Brenwar etc where from water comes down to newly established mega water supply scheme at Nowhaar.
Population in these habitations is expected to register an increase in the coming years. Right now lot of faecal matter, solid and liquid waste continues to enter Doodh Ganga around these habitations especially in rainy season. So the chances of getting purified water in the near future seem quite bleak.
The government has to do something now. Providing lavatories to these habitations is a must. And, these lavatories should be constructed at a distance from this important water source. Besides the authorities have to ensure that the sewerage from these habitations does not fall in the Doodh Ganga. Scientific solid and liquid waste management programme must be put in place in Chadoora town and adjoining villages as well. It has been observed that the Chadoora Municipality dumps solid and liquid waste into Doodh Ganga.
The locals have appealed to the authorities to lift water from Branwar instead of Nowhar as Nowhar has scores of open lavatories that open into Dood Ganga.